Arthur Brooks is an author, Harvard Business School Professor and writer for “The Atlantic” where he pens the popular weekly column, “How to Build a Life.” The common denominator in all his work is happiness.
His latest and 14th book was co-written with Oprah Winfrey. It’s titled “Build the Life You Want: The Art and Science of Getting Happier.”
Anne Brown is the President and CEO of the Cook Center for Human Connection which has helped bring Brooks to Park City.
“This whole idea of, of happiness, you know, it's a right given by our Declaration of Independence, it says, pursuing life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness,” Brown said. “And yet, many people don't know how to find that or what it is or the value of it.”
Brooks will be in Park City, Wednesday, Nov. 8 at the Park City Eccles Center for the Performing Arts. The show starts at 7:30 p.m.
While Brooks has spent much of his career researching and writing about happiness, he acknowledges that nobody is completely happy because we have negative emotions – fear, anger, sadness, and disgust that are required to keep us alive.
“These are produced automatically by the limbic system of the brain and what they're, they're just information about the outside world. Negative emotions, they tried to make us aversive or trying to make us avoid things that might hurt us and the other things, the positive emotions attract us to different things.”
Our positive emotions are joy and interest.
“Joy that you get which is your reward for seeing somebody that you love or getting something you want. And interest is the reward you get from learning. The reason that people are listening to this radio station is they learn a lot. That’s pleasurable. People love to learn.”
And while many of us would love the opportunity to see if money could buy us happiness, he says it won’t because happiness comes from having faith, family, friends and meaningful work that serves others.
Even with all the money in the world, he says, you can’t buy your way out of unhappiness.
“There's a lot of snake oil, quite frankly. If you look at how the modern marketing colossus is trying to get us to buy everything, you believe that if you had social media on your phone, you'd be less lonely. Nothing could be farther than the truth. And most people listening kind of know that. But they're not quite so sure if I get this next new product, if I get this wonderful, big new house, if I get 1000 more followers on my Instagram account, then everything will be well or at least I'll be happier than I am now. You need to know the facts based on the science and change your habits, and then you can actually get happier.”
Brooks says he’ll provide lots of information on Wednesday about being happy and understanding that even the happiest people are not always happy because we need the ups and downs to be fully alive.
There are still a few seats available in the balcony. Here’s the link to purchase tickets.
